Exercising

ABSTRACT

Among other things, a rowing exercise method includes enabling a combination of a force applied to a movable handle and a force applied to a movable foot rest to work against a resistance device and to permit relative motion of the footrest and the resistance device.

BACKGROUND

Exercising is frequently done on an exercise machine in which motion ofthe exerciser's arms or legs is resisted by a resistance device such asa rotating fan. In some rowing machines, for example, as a usersimulates a rowing cycle, a seat holding the user glides back and forthalong the frame in response to the user applying force to a handle and afoot rest. In some rowing machines, the resistance device moves back andforth on the frame in response to the forces.

SUMMARY

In general, in an aspect, a rowing exercise machine includes a frame, afoot support on the frame, a seat on the frame, a resistance device onthe frame, a handle, a force transmitting element connecting the handleto the foot support, and a transfer mechanism connecting the forcetransmitting element to the resistance device, the foot support beingmovable relative to the resistance device.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Theforce transmitting element includes a flexible line. The flexible lineincludes at least one of a cable, a chain, or a rope. The forcetransmitting element is non-resilient. The seat is mounted to move alongthe frame. The resistance device is fixed on the frame. The foot supportis mounted to move along the frame. The transfer mechanism includes aflexible line. The flexible line includes one end that is fixed and onefree end. The free end is connected to a slack take-up mechanism. Theresistance device includes a one-way clutching mechanism coupled to thetransfer mechanism. The force transmitting element includes a forcetransmitting line and the transfer mechanism includes a first slidablecoupling for the force transmitting line. The first slidable couplingincludes a first pulley. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer lineand the transfer mechanism includes a second slidable coupling for thetransfer line. The transfer mechanism includes a pulley in which theforce transmitting element rides.

In general, in an aspect, a rowing exercise machine includes a handleconnected by a cable to a footrest that is movable along a frame of themachine; a second cable couples a pulley, in which the first cablerides, to a rotational resistance device that is fixed on the frame.

In general, in an aspect, in a rowing exercise method, a force appliedto a movable handle and a force applied to a movable foot rest combineto work against a resistance device and to permit relative motion of thefootrest and the resistance device.

These and other aspects and features, and combinations of them may alsobe expressed in other ways, for example, as methods, systems, apparatus,means for performing functions or steps, business methods, components,and in other ways.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine, partially exploded.

FIG. 2 is a side view (partially broken away) and FIG. 4 a schematicside view of exercise machines.

FIGS. 3A-3D are illustrations of phases of a rowing cycle.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in some implementations, a rowing exercisemachine 100 can be arranged to simulate for a user the rowing of a shell(or other rowing platform) through water (in a river, for example),while achieving other advantages, including reducing the effort requiredby the user to overcome inertia of his body during different stages of arowing cycle, and offering the possibility of achieving compact size andweight and economical cost of the machine. These and other benefits canbe achieved, for example, by connecting a non-resilient flexible cable104 (for example, one that has a tensile strength to resist stretchingwhen pulling forces are applied to its ends) through pulleys between anexercise handle 102 and a movable foot rest 112. Then the combined force121 corresponding to a force 117 applied to the handle and a force 119applied to the foot rest at various times during a rowing cycle can becoupled through a pulley assembly 115 and a chain 116 to work againstand drive a fan or other resistance device 132 (which in the exampleshown is fixed to the frame). In the example, the force at theresistance device will be half of the combined force 121 because of theconfiguration of the pulleys.

As a result, as the user sitting on a movable seat 118 works through arowing cycle—during parts of which he or she pulls on and lets up on thehandle and pushes or pulls or lets up on the foot rest—the handle, thefoot rest, and the seat can move back and forth 140, 152, 153 along arail 126 that is part of a frame 129 of the machine, to provide a morerealistic rowing experience, among other benefits.

The rowing machine 100 simulates, for example, the effect that motion ofa shell underneath a rower—as the shell glides through the water—has onthe motion of the rower's feet relative to his torso, among otherthings. Among other things, because the foot rest 112 can move along themain rail 126 as the user applies force to the foot rest and the handle,the exercise machine 100 simulates the inertia, resistance, and motionexperienced by a rower when he rows a shell on water.

In some implementations, the resistance device 132 is attached in afixed position along the length of the main rail 126 of the exercisemachine, which allows the frame to be shorter, lighter weight, and lessexpensive to make, than if the resistance device were arranged to movealong the rail. In some implementations, some motion of the resistancedevice relative to the frame could be permitted.

In some examples, the resistance device 132 includes an air resistancefan, for example, of the kind shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,955,incorporated here by reference. In some implementations, the resistancedevice can be an electrical device or a friction device, for example.

In some implementations that use an air resistance fan, the fan rotateson a central spindle 139. In some examples, a driving sprocket wheel 134is attached by a one-way clutch (not shown) to the spindle. The one-wayclutch enables the sprocket wheel to rotate the fan when the sprocketwheel is driven in one rotational direction 135 and allows the sprocketwheel to rotate freely relative to the fan when the sprocket wheel isdriven in the opposite rotational direction 136. A wide variety of otherdrive arrangements could be used for the fan.

In some cases, the cable 104 extends from the handle throughfree-wheeling pulleys 106, 110, and 114 (which is part of the pulleyassembly 115) and is attached at its other end to a location 601 on abracket 602 that is part of a foot rest assembly 603.

In some examples, a chain 116 drives the sprocket wheel as the chainmoves. One end of the chain can be attached at a fixed point 137. Thepart of the chain between the fixed attachment point 137 and thesprocket wheel passes through a free running pulley 120 that is part ofthe pulley assembly 115. The other end of the chain is connected by acoupling 206 to a resilient cord 202 the other end of which is attachedto a second fixed point 141.

When the pulley assembly 115 is pulled to the right in response to thecombined force 121, the pulley 120 pulls on the cable 116 causing thecable to drive the sprocket wheel in the direction 135. The coupling 206moves to the left, and the cord 202, which passes through a freewheeling pulley 204, stretches. The force needed to extend the cord isrelatively small compared to the force needed to drive the fan. When thecombined force 121 on the pulley assembly falls below the restoringforce exerted by the stretched cord, the stretched cord 202 contracts,pulling in the slack of the chain.

During a rowing cycle, the user applies various forces to the handle,the foot rest, and the seat, and the fan resists the combined forcesapplied to the handle and the foot rest. At times during the cycle, theuser applies essentially no force on the handle, and allows the cable104 to be taken up by a force on the foot rest or the restoring force ofthe cord, or both. At times during the cycle, the user appliesessentially no force 119 on the foot rest and allows the foot rest tomove to the left on FIG. 2, or may pull the foot rest back using a footstrap (not shown). Various combinations of such forces and motion mayalso occur. The machine is arranged so that the forces applied and themotions of the handle, foot rest, and seat will simulate rowing a shellthrough water.

In general, the combine forces on the handle and the foot rest areapplied to perform work against the resistance device. Essentially thereis no net force acting on the user to move the seat either to the leftor to the right. As a result, there need not be any motion of the seat118 in either direction 153 during a rowing cycle. Although motion ofthe seat is not necessary, a small movement of the seat 153 may occur asthe user shifts his upper body mass from one portion of the rowing cycleto another portion. Typically, the small motion of the seat will be inthe direction opposite to the motion of the user's torso. For example,as the user pushes hard on the foot rest and pulls hard on the handle,he will also tend to shift his body mass away from the foot rest,causing the seat to move slightly towards the footrest.

As shown in FIG. 3A, when a user is about to begin a stroke portion of arowing cycle, the rower 101 may be crouched, with a location 217 on thefoot rest 112 at a position P1 (along the length of the exercisemachine) and a center location 219 of the seat 118 at a position P2 sothat the distance between P2 and P1 is 221.

As the user starts the rowing stroke, the user pulls back 117 on thehandle 102 towards the user's torso, and at the same time may push 119on the foot rest. The resulting combined force 121 (e.g., the sum of theforces applied on the footrest and on the handle) performs work throughthe chain 116 and the sprocket wheel 134 to drive the resistance device.The resistance device resists the force, and the work performed by theuser exercises the user's muscles. In the example of FIG. 2, the forceon the resistance device is half the combined force 121, due to thearrangement of the pulley 114. Other arrangements of pulleys can provideother multiplications or divisions of force and distance traversed withrespect to the work performed by the user.

As shown in FIG. 3B, during the stroke, the user pushes hard on the footrest and pulls hard on the handle, which causes the handle to movetoward his torso and the foot rest to move away from his torso. Thecombined forces on the handle and the foot rest drive the fan. Althoughnot required, the user's torso and the seat also may move a smalldistance toward (or, depending on the way the user chooses to shift historso, away from) the handle and foot rest as the user shifts his bodymass.

As shown in FIG. 3C, at the end of the stroke portion of the rowingcycle, the user has fully extended his legs and fully extended thehandle. The location 217 on the footrest is then at position P3, whichis a distance 229 from P1 that is substantially larger than distance221, yet the seat had moved very little if at all.

After reaching the end of the stroke, the user goes through a recoveryportion of the rowing cycle, illustrated in FIG. 3D, to return to theoriginal position shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3D, duringrecovery, the user stops pulling on the handle, allowing it to withdrawto the right, may pull on the foot rest against a typical foot strap,not shown, and retracts his legs. He may shift his torso (and thereforethe seat) a small distance, typically to the left. These actions causethe combined force 121 to drop below the small restoring force assertedby the stretched cord. So the cable 104 relaxes, allowing the pulleyassembly 115 to move to the right and the slack in the chain to be takenup by the contracting cord.

Therefore, in the examples being discussed, during the stroke andrecovery there is relatively large motion back and forth of the handleand the foot rest, with work being done against fan during the stroke.There can be some motion of the seat back and forth, but the motion isrelatively small. Rowing on water is effectively simulated and, becausethe resistance device need not move back and forth also, the machine canbe compact.

In some implementations, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail has agenerally u-shaped cross-section 491 for strength and accessibility. Theu is open at the bottom and the bottom edges of the sides 493, 495 ofthe u are connected to short extensions 497, 499 that projectperpendicularly into and partially obstruct the opening of the u at thebottom of the u-shaped cross-section. The front end of the rail 126 isattached between a pair of vertical posts 108. The pulley 106 is alsosupported between the two posts 108. The pulley 204 is mounted withinthe u-shaped cross-section near the front of the rail 126. A monitor 199with controls is accessible to the user at one end of an arm 193. Theother end of the arm can pivot on one end of a main arm 192, the otherend of which is attached to the posts 108. The bottoms of the posts 108are attached to a foot 131.

At its other end, the rail 126 is supported on an assembly 189. Theassembly 189 includes a foot 133, a leg 235, and two supports 237 thatbear a pair of parallel cylindrical rails 1199, 1196 along which theseat can ride on four wheels 127 (not all shown). Brackets 239 preventthe seat from being removed from the assembly 189. The assembly alsoincludes two structural pieces 241, 243.

In some implementations, the mounting of the seat can include arestraining or centering mechanism that urges the seat toward a central“home” location along its supporting rails. The mechanism could be anelastic centering device that connects the seat to the supportingassembly. In some examples, the rails can have a slightly curved contourwith a low point at the center of travel.

The foot rest includes two plates 112 for the user's two feet, eachmounted on a vertical bracket 312. Each vertical bracket bears a pair ofupper wheels 113 that ride along the top of the rail 126 and a bottomwheel 111 that rides along the bottom of the rail 126. The wheels alsokeep the foot rest in place and prevent it from being removed from therail. The bracket 602 is mounted between the two brackets 312. A hook195 is mounted to project from the foot rest assembly to receive thehandle when not in use. A wide variety of structures and components andtheir interaction can be used to achieve the benefits described. Theseinclude a wide variety of devices, including cables, chains, cords,straps, and other schemes to transmit forces between the handle and thefoot rest. In some cases, there may be some resilience in the forcetransmitting device to provide selected dynamic characteristics.

A wide variety of transfer mechanisms can be used to transfer thecombined force on the cable to drive the resistance device. Other pulleyarrangements are possible, and the transfer mechanism need not includepulleys. In some implementations in which the element that transmitsforce between the handle and the footrest is a line, like a cable orcord, for example, the force transmitting mechanism needs to permit theline to slide back and forth freely as forces change, while stilltransmitting the combined force to the resistance device.

In some examples of an exercise machine 500, as shown in FIG. 4, apulley assembly includes a single pulley 402. A cable 504 is connectedat one end to foot rest 112, passes through the single pulley, and isconnected at the other end to the handle 102. The spindle of the pulley402 is connected to the resistance device by a chain 406. The other endof the chain is attached through a coupling 414 to a resilient cord 412,the other end of which is attached at a fixed location 407. In theseexamples, the combined force is not halved by the pulley assembly andequals the force applied to the resistance device.

Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

1. A rowing exercise machine comprising a frame, a foot support on theframe, a seat mounted to move along the frame, a resistance device fixedon the frame, a handle, a force transmitting element connecting thehandle to the foot support, and a transfer mechanism connecting theforce transmitting element to the resistance device, the foot supportbeing movable along the frame relative to the resistance device andrelative to the handle.
 2. The machine of claim 1 in which the forcetransmitting element comprises a flexible line.
 3. The machine of claim2 in which the flexible line comprises one of a cable, a chain, or arope.
 4. The machine of claim 1 in which the force transmitting elementis non-resilient.
 5. The machine of claim 1 also comprising arestraining or centering mechanism that urges the seat toward a centrallocation.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The machine of claim 1 in which the footsupport is mounted to move along the frame.
 8. The machine of claim 1 inwhich the transfer mechanism comprises a flexible line.
 9. The machineof claim 8 in which the flexible line include one fixed end and one freeend.
 10. The machine of claim 9 in which the free end is connected to aslack take-up mechanism.
 11. The machine of claim 1 in which theresistance device includes a one-way clutching mechanism coupled to thetransfer mechanism.
 12. The machine of claim 1 in which the forcetransmitting element comprises a force transmitting line and thetransfer mechanism comprises a first slidable coupling for the forcetransmitting line.
 13. The machine of claim 12 in which the firstslidable coupling comprises a first pulley.
 14. The machine of claim 13in which the transfer mechanism comprises a transfer line and thetransfer mechanism includes a second slidable coupling for the transferline.
 15. The machine of claim 13 in which the transfer mechanismincludes a pulley in which the force transmitting element rides. 16.(canceled)
 17. (canceled)